David Hayes got another one into the $1 million Blue Diamond Stakes when first starter General Rippa swept home to win the Group Three Prelude for colts and geldings at Caulfield.
Hayes said the General Nediym gelding, a $65,000 yearling purchase bred by Gerry Harvey, had not raced earlier due to him jarring up.
However, ridden by Damien Oliver General Rippa ($17) came from last to win the 1100m race by a long neck from the unlucky Rusambo ($3.50 fav) with Ferment ($21) 1-1/4 lengths away third.
“I’ve been very quiet with him and haven’t done a lot of work with him,” Hayes, who holds the Blue Diamond training record with five winners, said.
“I gave him a little sprint up on Monday and he made a few mistakes so I went from last week thinking I had a certainty through his earlier work with Mama’s Choice.
“But after that little bit of work I thought he might be a bit green and make a mistake.”
General Rippa was at $81 for the Group One Blue Diamond (1200m) at Caulfield on February 25 in the TAB Sportsbet market before Saturday’s race.
He is now at $16 but betting is now being dominated by the Mick Price-trained Samaready who demolished her opposition in the fillies Prelude and has firmed from $7 to $2.80 favourite.
General Rippa’s stablemate and debut winner last week Mama’s Choice is at $10 with Gold Coast Magic Millions Classic placegetter Mrs Gray at $31.
“I probably prefer Mama’s Choice with the three weeks between runs from first run to second run probably suits better,” Hayes said.
“But this horse long-term will be the best.
“He’s a very cheap horse now.”
Oliver said he didn’t know what to expect with General Rippa who was doing it on natural ability at this stage of his career.
“He didn’t know much early and he was content to sit back and watch them but he took a nice gap in the straight,” he said.
“Even when he got to the front he didn’t know how to put them away and when they came to him he sort of went again.
“He is still pretty raw and a long way from learning what it’s all about yet but the extra distance (of the Blue Diamond) certainly won’t hurt him.
“His style of racing won’t hurt him because he is the sort of horse that will race in the second half of the field and be strong at the end.”
